Whakatāne District electors are reminded that voting in the Māori Wards poll will close at midday on Saturday, 19 May.

As at 10am Monday (14 May), close to 37 percent, or approximately 9000 of 24,400 registered electors, had cast their votes in the binding poll to decide whether or not Māori Wards should be introduced in the District for the 2019 and 2022 local government elections.

Votes can be returned by post, using the prepaid envelope provided, or placed in the envelope and dropped into the voting boxes provided at the Whakatāne District Council Civic Centre in Whakatāne, or the Murupara Service Centre.

People returning their votes by post are advised to mail them by Wednesday, 16 May at the latest. Votes delivered to the Murupara Service Centre will need to be placed in the voting box before 4.30pm on Friday, 18 May. Votes can be lodged at the Civic Centre through until midday on Saturday, 19 May. A preliminary result will be available early that afternoon and the Electoral Officer will declare the final outcome of the poll on 21 May.

If a majority of people vote against Māori wards, the proposal will lapse. If a majority of people vote for the introduction of Māori Wards, a representation review will be undertaken by the Council to revise the current ward system. This would determine what the new system would look like and how many elected members would represent each ward. Any changes in ward boundaries or representation proposed as a result of the review will be subject to community consultation, as part of the decision-making process. The outcomes of the representation review can also be appealed and if that was the case, the Local Government Commission would make a final decision.